Active electrical card device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to data-processing and informationhandling equipment, and more particularly, to a card of the type now commonly used as a credit card but having therein circuits including active electrical components connected to terminals adapted to be mated detachably to contacts in larger stationary equipment such as computer input devices, accounting machines, computer-controlled vending machines, coin telephones, etc. The active electrical components are preferably in the form of microelectronic information-handling circuits contained inside the plastic or other material from which the card is made so as to permit the construction of unique identification systems which are not readily counterfeitable by external analytical means and to permit the inclusion of information storage and dataprocessing capability so that the card, when connected to the apparatus by the individual user, becomes an integral part thereof and upon inquiry from the apparatus can respond with the user&#39;&#39;s identity, account status, current purchase request, and the like. The card is intended for use as a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;key card&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and for use in automatic verification of identity, accounting, posting, billing, and transfer of funds in order to reduce either the amount of cash which the user is required to carry or the number of checks or other banking or billing transactions which must be manually carried out.

United States Patent Ellingboe 1 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] ACTIVE ELECTRICALCARD DEVICE Jules K. Ellingboe, Palos Verdes Peninsu- 1a, Calif.

[73] Assignee: TRW lnc., Redondo Beach, Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 82,202

[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 678,607, Oct. 29, 1967,

[72] Inventor:

h .Js: 1

521 U.S. Cl. ..235/61.l2 N, 307/303 5| Int. Cl (106k 19/00, H03k 23 2258 Field otSearch ..235/61.l2 R, 61.12 N, 61.12C,

235/61.12 M; 340/149 A; 194/4; 179/2 CA, 6.3 CC; 283/6, 7; 186/1; 40/22;307/303; 330/38 M Signetics, Electronic Design, 26 April 1966, page 7.

Primary ExaminerMaynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Thomas J. SloyanAttorney-Daniel T. Anderson, Gerald Singer and Harry 1. Jacobs [57]ABSTRACT This invention relates to data-processing andinformation-handling equipment, and more particularly, to a card of thetype now commonly used as a credit card but having therein circuitsincluding active electrical components connected to terminals adapted tobe mated detachably to contacts in larger stationary equipment such ascomputer input devices, accounting machines, computer-controlled vendingmachines, coin telephones, etc. The active electrical components arepreferably in the form of microelectronic information-handling circuitscontained inside the plastic or other material from which the card ismade so as to permit the construction of unique identification systemswhich are not readily counterfeitable by external analytical means andto permit the inclusion of information storage and data-processingcapability so that the card, when connected to the apparatus by theindividual user, becomes an integral part thereof and upon inquiry fromthe apparatus can respond with the user's identity, account status,current purchase request, and the like. The card is intended for use asa key card" and for use in automatic verification of identity,accounting, posting, billing, and transfer of funds in order to reduceeither the amount of cash which the user is required to carry or thenumber of checks or other banking or billing transactions which must bemanually carried out.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED 21251972 $637,994

mnurz Clean Curd 22b 22c 22d Fig. 2.

Jules K. Ellingboe INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

ACTIVE ELECTRICAL CARD DEVICE This is a continuation of my first filedapplication filed Oct. 27, I967, afforded Ser. No. 678,607, and nowabandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional card identification systems aspresently used for credit, key, or other purposes are limited inusefulness both by the large number of manual actions which must occursubsequent to presentation of cards and by the limited complexity ofpassive magnetic coding. In order to progress toward automaticverification of identity, and if desired, toward simultaneous automaticverification of account status, posting, billing, and transfer of funds,and to allow for the many possible forms of data processing and displayassociated with automatic systems, the identification card should be anactive component of the entire information-processing system. The cardshould be able to present complete identification in electrical orelectromagnetic manner and to respond properly to an automatic inquiryif such is necessary.

No present identification card has the facility to make such a systempossible. The magnetic key car has a very limited coding potentialinsufficient for unique identification in very large populations and isfurthermore quite easily counterfeited. The same comments apply to anypassive electrical network incorporated into an identification card.Standar credit cards" using only numbers raised on the surface forimprintation on sales slips and the like are, of course, unsuitable foruse in any automatic identification system or associated data-processingapparatus.

The card of the present invention may, if desired, include such surfacelegend, raised characters, signature samples, and the like, but isprimarily intended to afford a capability for use in an automaticdata-processing system which involves at least the unique identificationof the person and may also involve the'processing of additionalinformation. Presently available microelectronic circuit fabrication andpackaging techniques permits the use of electrically active circuits ofsufficient number to provide for a suitable number of unique electricalidentifications while still packaging the circuitry into a small enoughenvelope to be embedded in a card of the credit card type for convenienthandling and use. Such a card permits electrical identification andresponse for any desired data processing in addition to the conventionalcredit card type of operation. It can be adapted to perform as a creditrating verification system, a key system, a voting-polling or tallysystem and can be used for process control, billing, posting, ordering,or any combination of the foregoing.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide an active electricalcard identification device in a form convenient for carrying and use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an active electronicor electromagnetic circuit or circuits packaged in a credit card.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device havingprovisions for immediate automatic data processing in conjunction withuse of the card for credit, identification or key purposes.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a uniqueidentification card which cannot be readily counterfeited solely by useof external measurements and which will thus afford its ownernotification of loss or destruction if counterfeiting is attempted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects and advantages areachieved by providing one or more semiconductor wafers and/or magneticcore arrays containing the desired microelectronic circuitry, thewafers, for example, being packaged in what is known in the art as aflat package" which affords rigid support and a hermetic seal for thecircuitry. This flat package has the desired number of input and outputlead conductors comprising thin conductive ribbons of metal which arewelded or otherwise attached to suitably shaped terminal blocks. The

flat package with its input and output connectors is then laminatedbetween two suitable sheets of plastic, preferably with the terminalblocks seatedin preformed notches on the edges of the plastic sheets sothat they become a smooth integral part of one edge of the card. Meansare also provided, as by beveling one pair of edges of the card, toinsure that the card can be inserted in only one position in a slot inassociated equipment with which it is intended to be used. At the backof such a slot, mating contact members for the terminals are providedwhich may, for example, be in the form of spring finger contacts. One ofthese contacts, of course, is a power supply, one is a ground, andothers may be used for signal input and output, clock pulse trains,andthe like. The particular form and complexity of the circuitrycontained in the one or more fiat packages or otherwise embedded in thecard will, of course, be determined by the particular use for which thatindividual card is intended. The disclosure herein describes, by way ofexample only, a circuit wherein a single-shift register is used simplyto provide a unique identification code in connection with anyconventional data-processing circuit. Other specific circuitsparticularly intended for specialized uses are well known in the art andwill be readily apparent to those skilled therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawing, FIG. 1 is an explodedperspective view showing the two laminations from which the card isformed and showing the manner in which the flat package, the leadstherefrom, and the terminal blocks are positioned to be interconnected.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left-hand comer of thelower plastic sheet showing the manner in which the first terminal blockwith a lead welded thereto is positioned in its notch prior tolamination.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the completed laminated card showing themanner in which it is intended to be coaligned for insertion into a slotin information-processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the flat packagecontaining the microelectronic wafer.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of theelectrical circuitry in the card.

FIG. 7 is a detailed block diagram of the identification code shiftregister shown in FIG. 6 before the shift register is coded.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the shift register of FIGS. 6 and 7 afterthe identification code has been set into the shift register.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of an alternate mating card and slotshape. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawing,there is shown in FIG. I a microelectronic integrated-circuit wafer 10mounted in a flat package 11. This integrated-circuit wafer 10 andpackage II are shown in greater detail on an enlarged scale in FIGS. 4and 5. The flat package 11 is generally the type of package disclosed inthe copending application of James L. Buie entitled, SemiconductorProduct and Process of Manufacturing Thereof," filed May 15, I967, Ser.No. 638,36l. The integrated circuit formed in the silicon semiconductorwafer 10 may be generally of the type described in the copendingapplication of Norman J. Grannis and Ted Winkler entitled, Digital Cellfor Large Scale Integration," filed Sept. 20, I967, Ser. No. 669,091.Both of these copending applications are assigned to the same assignoras the present application.

Both the circuitry of the digital cell formed in the silicon wafer 10and the construction of the flat package will be described in greaterdetail below, but it will first be noted from FIG. 5 that the siliconwafer I0 is mounted inside the rigid flat package II which has aplurality of ribbonlike leads or conductors 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, and 16e,sealed through insulative material 13a in the sides of the housing 11.These flat leads are connected as by a gold wire 21 to the circuitry onthe wafer 10. It will also be noted from FIG. 1 that the package 11 andthe flat leads 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, and [6e are adapted to be placedduring manufacture on a flat lower sheet 30 of plastic material. Amatching sheet 31 of the same material is placed above the circuitassembly and after completion of this assembly, the two sheets 30 and 31are heat treated and pressed to laminate the circuitry between them.

It will be noted that each of the sheets 30 and 31 has a plurality ofnotches along one side thereof. Thus, the sheet 30 is provided withcorrespondingly positioned registering notches 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, and31e. These slots or notches are shaped and dimensioned to receivecontact terminal members 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, and 32e, respectively.

In the assembly process, the leads from the flat package 11 are firstwelded as by spot welding or resistance welding to the associatedterminal member so as to assume the configuration most clearly shown inFIG. 2. In FIG. 2 it will be noted that the terminal member 32a is ofgenerally cross-shape cross section, having been stamped from a sheet ofkovar, steel, or other suitable electrically conductive material whichhas good hardness and wear resistance properties. For cases whereextreme wear resistance is desired, the terminal block may comprise acopper core which is first nickel plated, then rhodium plated, then goldflashed.

One arm of the cross-shape member is slightly thinner than the otherarm. It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the right-hand arm is thinner thanthe left-hand arm of the cross by an amount equal to the thickness ofthe lead ribbon 16a, so that when this lead ribbon is welded to theunderside of the cross arm, the two arms become of equal thickness. Theassembled lead and terminal member is then placed in the notch 30a ofthe lower plastic sheet 30. Similarly, the assembled terminals for allother leads are placed in their associated notches, thereby positioningthe flat package 11 centrally on the plastic sheet member 30.

As noted, the flat package may be of the type described in theabove-identified Buie application which in turn is an improvement overthe type of flat package currently available commercially and described,for example, in a book entitled, Microelectronics," edited by EdwardKeonjian and published by the McGraw-Hill Book Company in 1963. On page298 of that book, FIG. -23 shows a similar semiconductorintegrated-circuit flat package, the dimensions of which are '76 inchwide by A inch long and which is stated on page 299 to be 0.040 inchthick. This is a thickness of approximately l millimeter. It ispresently preferred to make each of the plastic sheets 30 and 31 beforelamination also of a thickness of approximately 1 millimeter so that thefinal assembled card will have a thickness of about 2 millimeters. Sinethe terminal members ultimately extend flush with the upper and lowersurfaces of the card, the overall dimension of the cross is also 2millimeters with each arm having a thickness of l millimeter except theinner arm which is thinner by an amount sufficient to compensate for thethickness of the lead 16a.

Of course, it will be understood that the thickness dimension could bereduced by using what is known as a lid" mount for the wafer. This issimply a thin sheet of metal on which the semiconductor circuitry isformed and is then directly potted or laminated. It will also beunderstood that the lead in conductors could be deposited byprinted-circuit techniques directly on the lower sheet 30. The preferredarrangement described, however, gives the circuitry more protectionagainst flexure of this card.

Similarly, the card itself may be made from a wide variety of materialsincluding the thermoplastic materials now used for credit cards.However, in order to achieve greater adhesion of the metal block to theplastic and greater rigidity for a given thickness of plastic material,it is preferred to use an epoxy or, alternatively and preferably, whatis known in the art as Hystl."

Hystl is a trade name for a cyclized, highly cross-linked polydieneresin. The cured resin is characterized as a hard, stiff, chemicallystable resin having a high dielectric strength. Additional detailedinformation relating to the properties and preparation of Hystl may beobtained from U.S. Pat. No. 3,43l,235, which is assigned to the sameassignee as the present application. As used in this device, an opaquingor coloring agent would preferably be added.

In order to laminate the terminal, conductor, and flat pack assemblybetween the sheets 30 and 31, the lower sheet 31 is placed in a formwhile it is in its moldable or flexible state. The outlines of the formor mold, of course, correspond to the desired outline of the card. Itwill be noted that this outline includes beveled edges 33 and 34 on thelower surface of lower sheet 30. As will be apparent from FIG. 3, thesebeveled edges are provided so that when they mate with beveled edges inthe slot into which the card is adapted to be inserted, they will permitentry of the card into the slot in only the right-side-up position inorder to assure that the terminals reach the intended contact pointwithin the slot rather than its reverse or mirror image. That is to say,if the card is inadvertently turned upside down before it is placed inthe slot, the terminals 22 will not mate with the intended correspondingspring contact fingers 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, and 42s in the slot orreceptacle structure 42 shown in FIG. 3. Hence, the receptacle isprovided with beveled surfaces 43 and 44 adapted to receive the beveledlower edges 33 and 34 of the card but to block the square edges of theupper card 31 in the event that the card in inadvertently turned upsidedown. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, the slot and the card could bemade trapezoidal in form rather than rectangular so that the card couldbe inserted into the slot in only one position. Thus, in the schematicplan view of FIG. 9, it is apparent that the card with its right-sidesurface 51 up will mate with the trapezoidal slot 52, whereas if thecard is turned over so that its lower side 50 is uppermost, it will notmate with the trapezoidal slot 52. Either the beveled edge or thetrapezoidal form is feasible. Any arrangement which assures a uniquepositioning of the card in its contact or coupled or operativerelationship to the slot and at the same time result in a smooth easilyhandled card structure which will not tear the users clothing, scratch,cut, abrade, or the like, is of course acceptable.

Returning to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, after the assembly of the flat pack withits leads and terminal contact members welded thereto has beenpositioned on the lower sheet 30 so that the lower arms of thecross-shape terminal members seat in the corresponding slots of thesheet 30, the upper sheet 31 is laid over the lower sheet in registrytherewith so that the notches 31a, etc., in its edge seat over the upperarms of the crossshaped contact members. A heating-and-pressingoperation is then carried out so that the crossmember is pusheddownwardly and seats flush with the bottom surface of the rigid formthereby laminating the upper and lower sheets together and producing thecard configuration shown in FIG. 3. During the heating-and-pressingoperation, of course, the flexible plastic material flows or givesenough to accommodate the arms of the cross and a percentage of thethickness of the flat package 11 so that in the finished card there isapproximately millimeter of plastic material above and below the flatpackage 11, which itself has a thickness of about 1 millimeter, therebyproducing a total card thickness of about 2 millimeters. The leadmembers 16 are of negligible thickness and could, if desired, even beprinted-circuit conductive bands on the lower sheet 31. During theheating and the pressing operation, the plastic material is set and whenallowed to cool and cure, it assumes its permanent shape as is wellknown in the art.

The thickness and material are preferably chosen so that the card hassomewhat greater rigidity than is common in conventional credit cardthermoplastic devices. Such cards normally range from 1 to 2 millimetersin thickness, and it is preferred to use the thicker end of the acceptedrange in order to gain the greater rigidity. Also, of course, althoughmany different types of plastic material could be used for the sheets 30and 31, a suitable choice should be made to insure good adhesion to thecontact terminals 22, to provide the desired rigidity and wearcharacteristics, and to be easily and economically moldable as describedherein into a precisely dimensioned shape which will hold its dimensionsand fit snugly in the mating slot.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the card assembly 3031 is intended to beinserted into a slotted receptacle 42 having a baseplate member 45 withbeveled upwardly extending edges 43 and 44 integral with member 45, andslot-defining structure 46 at the forward end thereof. At the rear orinner portion of the receptacle, a plurality of curved spring fingercontacts 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, and 42e are attached to terminal blocks47a, 47b, 47c, 47d, and 47e which by riveting, threaded-shaft andknurled-nut arrangement or the like attach the spring finger contacts toand support them on the baseplate 45. This entire slot arrangement, ofcourse, is shown in fragmentary view only and would in fact be a portionof a data-processing equipment which would serve as the input point tothe circuitry thereof. That is to say, the circuits to be describedbelow in connection with the electrical operation of the card devicemake interconnection from any suitable dataprocessing system orequipment through the terminal blocks 47 and spring fingers 42 to thecross-shaped contact terminals 22 of the card so that the circuitrycontained within the flat package 11 when the card is positioned in theslot in coupled relationship thereto becomes an active part of thecircuitry of the data-processing equipment with which the slot 42 isassociated.

This equipment could, for example, be a vending machine which hascommunication circuits connected to a central computer so that when thecard is inserted into the slot and a control is actuated to indicate apurchase, the identification number or code key in the card will firstbe read and verified, the account of the proposed purchaser queried forbalance, the purchase price posted to a given new balance and thatbalance entered both at the central computer and in a memory register inthe card, if the system being used provides for one. Alternatively, ofcourse, as described herein, the card may function simply as a key oridentification system which may be used for admission at unattendedgates, doors, or the like, or which may be used to query a centralcomputer when a salesperson wishes to verify the credit balance of theuser for purposes of cashing a conventional check. In such systems, thecredit card would simply be placed in the appropriate slot and when thecentral data-processing apparatus identifies the code in the card, itwould be programmed to read out back to the salesperson a creditauthorization for the individual thus identified. Many other system usesare, of course, possible and it will be obvious that the circuit detailsof any particular system in all ramifications and complexity do not forma part of the present invention. In any of the systems, the uniqueidentification and data processing available only by use of activeelectrical components within such a card is the essential feature.

it will be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the flat package 11 within whichthe semiconductor wafer is hermetically sealed and rigidly supportedconsists of a bottom member 13 which is preferably composed of an alloyknown in the trade as kovar, the composition of which is disclosed inthe above-noted Buie case. The sidewalls 15 extending upwardly from thebase 13 are provided with apertures containing insulating material suchas a glass seal 13a which supports, seals, and insulates the leadconductors 16 which extend through these apertures in the side of thehousing into the interior thereof. An adhesive layer 17 is provided onthe top edge 18 of the sidewalls 15 so that a cover member 12 may beattached after the circuitry is secured inside the package. The covermember 12 as disclosed in the Buie case consists of a glass which may berendered opaque by suitable painting or the like, but in the currentapplication the cover member could also be metal, ceramic, or any othersuitable material. Connection is made from the leads 16 to the circuitterminals of the circuitry in the wafer 10 by gold wire 21 in accordancewith well-known techniques in the art. it is often desirable to providea thin gold film 14 on the kovar" package and a similar coating may, ifdesired, be provided on the leads 16. Although such flat packages areavailable with varying numbers of lead-in conductors, it will be seenfrom the block diagram of FIG. 6 and from the above-described card thatonly five conductors are need for the circuit of the presentapplication.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 6, it will be observed thatcontact terminal 22a is connected by lead 16a to the power supply inputterminals of all circuitry contained in a shift register 60, dataprocessor 61 and gate 62 which may be fabricated in theintegrated-circuit semiconductor wafer 10 as taught in the above-notedcopending application of Grannis and Winkler with such interconnectionmodifications as will be described below. in general, there is disclosedin the Grannis and Winkler case a method for fabricating a basic digitalcell comprising logical gate circuits and for connecting a plurality ofcells to form flip-flops, shift registers, or any desired conventionaldata-processing circuit to provide functions of the type generally wellknown in the art in a highly efficient manner in very minutesemiconductor circuitry.

As also shown in FIG. 6, the ground connection for these circuits isprovided by terminal 22b which is connected by lead 16b to the groundpoint of the circuit which may preferably be the base 13 of the kovarhousing. Input terminal 22d is adapted to receive a clock pulse from theassociated data-processing equipment and to transmit this pulse overlead 16d to the shift register 60 and data processor 61. Similarly,terminal 22c is adapted to receive an initialize signal and any laterdata input signals which are transmitted over conductor to the shiftregister 60 and data processor 61. Terminal 22s is adapted to receivethe output signal from the shift register and/or data processor overconductor 16c to be transmitted back into the data-processing equipmentvia terminal 42e in the slot structure 42.

in operation, the card 30-31 is inserted into the slot 42 in the readingdevice so that the spring fingers 42a, etc., make electrical contactwith the corresponding terminal 22a, etc., on the edge of the card. Ifdesired, any suitable spring-andlatch arrangement may be provided tohold the card in position automatically. Power and ground connectionsare made by terminals 22a and 22b, respectively. Shortly after the powercircuit is closed, the reader is programmed to generate and initialize asignal pulse which is received at terminal block 22c and applied overconductor 16c to the shift register to set the shift register to apredetermined code in a manner to be described below. This firstinitialize pulse is also applied by the data processor over conductor16f to open normally closed gate circuit 62 for a time long enough toread the identification code serially out of the shift register 60.Thereafter, gate 62 is closed and input and output in any desired formare taken directly to and from the data processor.

In its simplest form, if the device is to be used only as a key oridentification code, it may omit data processor 61 and gate 62. Theentire initialize" line 16c and its terminal would then be unnecessaryif the associated equipment were provided with a suitable delay to readthe shift register output only after the first few clock pulses have setthe code into it in a manner to be described below.

in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a series of clock pulses are appliedto terminal 22d after the initialize pulse and transmitted overconductor 16d to the shift register 60. This series of clock pulsescauses the code pattern (which has previously been set into the shiftregister during manufacture) to step through it and to appear seriallyon the output line 16a and then via terminal 22:? and contact 42e to thereader where it is sensed and compared with corresponding codes in thememory bank of the reader.

In order to achieve low production costs, the manufacturing techniquesdescribed in the above-referenced Grannis and Winkler application arepreferably used to fabricate a shift register from a plurality offlip-flops on the silicon wafer 110. The standard digital cell ofuniversal logic circuit applicability described therein is firstfabricated and then an interconnect final metallization step is used toconnect the cells in the configuration of a shift register comprising aplurality of serially connected flip-flop circuits. These flip-flops areindicated in FIG. 7 by the blocks marked FF-l, FF-2, FF-3, FF-4, FF-S,FF- 6, which would make provision for a six-bit code. It will be notedfrom FIGS. 7 and 8 that each flip-flop has two inputs, a set input and azero input, which, when pulsed, set the flip-flop to a one or a zerostate, respectively. As is conventional, the presence of an outputvoltage may be taken to indicate a set or a value, and the absence of anoutput may be taken to indicate a zero value in commonly accepted binarynotation. In the initial fabrication and connection of thesemicroelectronic circuits, both of these inputs, that is the set inputand zero input leads, are connected to line I60 which is the initializesignal line leading to terminal 22c. However, this portion of theinterconnect metallization is formed so that each of these linescontains a deposited link of relatively lowmelting point metal similarto a fuse. These low melting point segments are indicated in FIG. 7 asexisting between points B- l and C-1, D-I and 8-1, 8-2 and C-2, D-2 andE-2, etc., for each flip-flop. After the circuit is fabricated, it isplaced in a jig and a group of probes make contact with the circuit atpoint A and at point C-I, C-2... D-l, D-2... D-6, sequentially. Acurrent greater than used in normal operation is then passed between theprobe at point A and the probe at either point C-l or D-l, between pointA and between either point C-2 or D-2, and so on. This selectablydirected large current vaporizes the unwanted link or connectingportion, leaving the other connector intact so that only the remainingconnector actually receives and transmits the initialize" pulse to oneof the two inputs of the flip-flop. For example, if it were desired toset the code l0l 10 into the shift register, current would be passedbetween the terminal A and terminal 01, D-2, 03, D4, D-5, and C-6,respectively. The result of passing such current is shown in FIG. 8where the undesired links have been removed. This process ofpreestablishing the code in the shift register lends itself toautomation and mass production, since individual shift registers can bemoved automatically into and out of probe-operating positions in theirjig carriers and the probe configuration can be automatically andsequentially programmed to change after each stepped operation ofapplication to an individual shift register, thereby producing aplurality of differently coded cards.

Given the circuit configuration as shown in FIG. 8 wherein theidentification code 0101 10 has been set into the register, it will beapparent that when the initialize pulse is first applied at terminal220, it sets flip-flop FF-l to the zero state because this pulse canreach that only over the zero line. Thereafter, when a train of clockpulses equal in number to the number of flip-flops in the shift registeris applied at terminal 22d, the state of each register is seriallyshifted to the right and appears at the output line 16c to give areadout of the identification code which has been preestablished in thewiring of the register. As noted above, where a data processor 61 isalso included, gate 62 is closed after the identification code is thusread out. If only a key card is desired, line 160, processor 61, andgate 62 can be omitted and a suitable delay provided in the reader.After the first few clock pulses are applied, the shift register will gofrom a random state to the present code configuration which will then becyclically repeated in its output.

With more sophisticated circuitry using a four-phase clock type of shiftregister, it would be possible to have only one input signal which couldbe AC-coupled to the card from the reader. This signal would consist ofa pulse train. The initialize and clock signals, as well as the powernecessary to operate the logic, would be derived from the pulse traininternally to the card. Such a circuit arrangement would permit eithercapacitive or inductive coupling of the card to the reader and wouldeliminate the necessity for physical electrical contacts.

Alternatively, a light beam falling on a photocell in the card couldprovide input and a photodiode in the card could provide output. Theelimination of the mechanical contact would tend to eliminate onepossible source of mechanical failure, but the device would otherwisefunction in an identical manner.

More importantly, it should be understood that although the carddisclosed herein contains only a relatively simple circuit makingprovision for a six-bit binary identification code, far more complexcircuitry can very easily be included either within a single flat packas shown or by adding additional flat packs in parallel or series, ifnecessary. In addition to ready provision of all of the circuitfunctions shown and described, for example, in the Grannis and Winklerapplication, virtually any data-processing or logic function can beincluded in such a card. Thus, if desired, a magnetic core planar memoryarray of miniaturized size can also be embedded between the two laminarsheets so that the active element of the logic circuits can read intoand out of the cards own memory as may be required by the particularapplication. It should also be understood that magnetic logic elementswhich are recognized equivalents for purely electrical flip-flops couldalso be used. In any such arrangement, however, it is essential to theachievement of the unique advantages of the present invention, toutilize active elements requiring electrical or electromagnetic powerand signal transmission into and out of the card as distinguished frompassive electrical elements or magnetic field responsive elements. Thedisadvantage of such passive elements lie not only in the relativelyrestricted complexity of their possible operation, coding, and the like,but also in their susceptibility to nondestructive analysis by externalmeans thereby permitting surreptitious counterfeiting. Thus, if the cardwere to contain merely magnetic numerals or characters such as arecommonly used for coding checks for automatic data-processing equipment,anyone could readily read the magnetic pattern with a magneticallyresponsive device even if it were laminated inside the card. In thepresent device, on the other hand, only a user knowing the exact mannerof functioning of the device and having relatively complex matingdigital apparatus can read the code out of the card. Even this type ofreadout is not meaningfully possible unless the inner circuit structureis understood or reverse engineered. Such analysis of the inner circuitstructure is, of course, only possible by destruction of the laminatedcard and removal of the flat pack from the card for inspection.

Variations on the relatively simple circuitry disposed herein will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the cryptographic arts whereby ameaningful output signal is not derivable even when obviously properelectrical connections are made except in response to a coded initializepulse, the code for which would be known only to the individualmanufacturer and issuer of the card. Such a code could, for example,control the gate 62 to permit user code readout from an individual shiftregister only after the standard gate-opening pulse code common to allcars issued by that user has first been applied.

In any of the above-discussed variations or alternative embodiments itwill be noted that the card still functions as a coupled activecomponent in an automatic data-processing system and thereby gains theadvantages discussed above. Thus, while a specific preferred embodimentof the invention has been described by way of illustration only, it willbe understood that the invention as suggested is capable of many otherspecific embodiments and modifications and is defined solely by thefollowing claims.

lclaim:

I. An active electrical card device for a data-processing systemcomprising:

a card adapted to be carried by an individual user, said card having atleast one beveled edge, and shaped to mate in one position only with areceiving means included in said data-processing system, said receivingmeans having a beveled edge complementary to that of said card, invirtue of which the card is received in only one position;

first circuit means for providing a unique identifying code for saidcard;

second circuit means for performing predetermined dataprocessingfunctions;

said first and second circuit means being integral with said card andincluding at least one active element; and

said card including means connected to said first and second circuitmeans to receive and transmit energy and signal information from and tosaid data-processing system when said card is placed in coupledrelationship with said system so as to place said first and secondcircuit means in operative relationship as active components of saidsystem.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said card is composed of a cyclizedhighly cross-linked polydiene resin which when cured is characterized asa hard, stiff, chemically stable resin having a high dielectricstrength.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said card comprises upper and lowersheet members of said resin laminated together with said circuit meansembedded between said laminated sheets.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises contactterminal block members laminated in notches found along one side of saidcard.

5. Apparatus as in claim I wherein said circuit means also includesmeans for providing a predetermined data-processing function.

1. An active electrical card device for a data-processing systemcomprising: a card adapted to be carried by an individual user, saidcard having at least one beveled edge, and shaped to mate in oneposition only with a receiving means included in said dataprocessingsystem, said receiving means having a beveled edge complementary to thatof said card, in virtue of which the card is received in only oneposition; first circuit means for providing a unique identifying codefor said card; second circuit means for performing predetermineddataprocessing functions; said first and second circuit means beingintegral with said card and including at least one active element; andsaid card including means connected to said first and second circuitmeans to receive and transmit energy and signal information from and tosaid data-processing system when said card is placed in coupledrelationship with said system so as to place said first and secondcircuit means in operative relationship as active components of saidsystem.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said card is composed of acyclized highly cross-linked polydiene resin which when cured ischaracterized as a hard, stiff, chemically stable resin having a highdielectric strength.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said cardcomprises upper and lower sheet members of said resin laminated togetherwith said circuit means embedded between said laminated sheets. 4.Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises contactterminal block members laminated in notches found along one side of saidcard.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said circuit means alsoincludes means for providing a predetermined data-processing function.